First Down
Babin quizzed on football, hunting and more
By ZACHARY LEVINE
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
August 3, 2005
Jason Babin started all 16 games at outside linebacker last season for the Texans, and he's ready to do it again in 2005.
Tuesday after practice, though, it wasn't about his game.
Babin answered questions about everything from his fellow linebackers to his state championship wrestling career in Michigan and from his hunting ranch to his three-month-old son Maddux.
Here's what he had to say.
Question: What does the addition of Morlon Greenwood bring?
Answer: Greenwood's real fast; he likes to hit, so I think he really fits in with the other defensive players.
Q: What does the loss of Jamie Sharper do to this team?
A: Obviously, you've got the leadership. He knows a lot about the situations. He's been around the NFL so long.
Q: Where is that leadership coming from now?
A: Kailee Wong has definitely stepped up and took control. ... It's nice to have a veteran leader out there.
Q: Do you see preseason games this year as 'a chance to show my stuff' or 'God, I hope I don't get hurt?'
A: I enjoy just playing football, so as much as they put me out there, I'll be happy with that.
Q: What can you hunt on your hunting ranch?
A: You can hunt everything from white-tail to zebra. We've got African game, zebras, ... black bucks, elk. We have a wild hog pen.
Q: What was the inspiration for that idea?
A: I've always enjoyed hunting my whole life, and I came out here to Texas, and there's quite a few of these hunting ranches all around. So I went hunting at quite a few of them and I thought, man, this is for me. I've got to have one for myself.
Q: Do you miss your wrestling days?
A: Not really, because wrestling practices make these two-a-days seem easy.
Q: Who on your team could put up the best fight against you?
A: Rumor has it that Greenwood is also a state champion in wrestling, so there have been some whispers of a bout between the two of us.
Q: When your son gets drafted No. 1 in the NFL, what position is he going to play?
A: Something that makes a lot of money.
Today's trivia: Babin's four sacks were second on the team last season? Who was first? ...
Notable: There were a couple of celebrity sightings in the bubble at Tuesday's practice. Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops was in attendance as was Lakewood Church Pastor Joel Osteen. After a quiet first few days on the medical report, injuries started taking a more significant toll Tuesday. Linebacker Zeke Moreno will likely miss 2-3 weeks with a hairline fracture in his fibula. Defensive end Jerry Deloach missed practice with a bruised quadriceps, while offensive tackle Garrick Jones was out with a rib contusion. Both could be back for Wednesday's two sessions.
Quotable: 'It's like going to school for a day.' - Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops on observing Texans practice Tuesday.
Trivia answer: Linebacker Kailee Wong, who finished with 5.5.
Article URL: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3293486
